Evaporator



Sept. 3, 1935. w. D. COLLINS EVAPORATOR Filed Aug. 10, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 1 '25 1 l 0 n w INVENTOR.

W. D. COLU NS w. D. COLLINS 2,013,134

EVAPORAT OR Sept. 3, 1935.

Filed Aug. 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill . 1/7 A I I I g; I LA/' 11/1 J2/1 1 1 W INVENTOR. W. D. COLL! NS a a I w ATTORNE Patented Sept... 3,135

EVAPORATQR William ill. Collins, Evansville,

Servel, line, New "llorlt, N. in,

Delaware llnd., assignor to a corporation of Application August 10,1932, Serial No. 628,140 to (Claims. (Cl. 62-126) This invention relatesto cooling elements or evaporators for refrigerating apparatus.

A cooling element or evaporator, particularly in householdrefrigerators, must provide for freezing water to form ice cubes andalso cool air in the storage compartment to a temperature suitable forthe preservation of comestibles.

It is an object of this invention to provide an evaporator or coolingelement providing full su face contact with the bottom of ice cube traysfor direct conduction of heat from the water to be frozen and anextensive heat transfer surface for cooling air in the refrigerator,which coolinelernent is inexpensive, simple in construction, and verydurable.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, where-Fig. 1 is a front elevation illustrating one appli cation of theinvention.

Fig. 2, a side elevation;

Fig. 3, a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4. a section on the line t-i of Fig. 2.

An evaporator embodying the present invention comprises a header ill,and a seriestube M, which extends downwardly from the header and iswound about in a plurality of vertically spaced U-shaped loops it, withconnecting plates it? across opposed sides of the loops to form shelvesfor ice trays and the like. The shelves or plates l3 are cast about thesides of the opposed loops toeffect satisfactory heat transfer, themetal employed being of high thermal conductivity. While there are shownthree shelves it, it will be understood that the device may consist ofany desired number. The other end 94 of the tube it is connected to asource of supply of liquid refrigerant as for example by means of acapillary tube or other liquid control device, not shown.

Refrigerant admitted in the lower end M of the tube It will pass throughthe respective horizontally spaced loops ii in series and into theheader lit at the top of the evaporator from whence the gasifiedrefrigerant is withdrawn through a suction line l5.

The shelves l3 are secured in fixed spaced relation by means of parallelvertical side fins l6,

connected at their upper extremities by parallel horizontal cross finsH, the shelves and side and upper cross fins being cast integrally andbeing provided with supporting studs l8 and l9, by means of which thedevice may be secured in place.

The header ill is formed separately from the main body of the device andin order to secure it in its proper associated relation the cross fins Hare provided with a central, longitudinal trough or cradle 29 in whichthe header to is adapted to fit snugly, the trough being ofsubstantially semi-cylindrical conformation. In

order to clamp the header it in the trough 2d,

yoke clamps are provided which extend across the header at opposite endsand are secured to ears 22 on the trough 2!) by means of bolts 23.

The above construction whereby two groups of plates are secured in edgeto edge relation simplifies the manufacture of the evaporator materiallyand provides means for a rapid transfer of heat from trays or the likeplaced upon the shelves l3 as well as air circulating over theevaporator. With this type of tended to use a front plate and one ormore side plates not shown, and to this end a number of brackets 26 areemployed at the front of the device which cooperate with brackets 25attached to the header for supporting a front plate. Bosses 26 areprovided at the sides of the shelves it to which a face plate not shownmay be secured by screws orother fastening means also not shown.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various otherchanges may be made in "the construction and arrangement withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, and therefore the inventionis not limited to that which is described in the specification and shownin the drawings,

but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An evaporator comprising a plurality of superposed shelf loops havingopposed horizontal portions, a casting having said loops at leastpartially contained therein, integral article supporting webs extendingacross and connecting said casting adjacent said horizontal loopportions, and integral continuous fins on its side and top, a header ofseparate construction, and a relatively large cradle carried by the bodyfor intimate contact with the header to provide good thermal contacttherewith.

2. A cooling unit comprising a cast metal body having continuous finsextending on its side and top and with integral shelves, said cast metalbody having portions of a series tube extending through and embedded inits wall at the side edges of the shelves, and an'independent headersecured in good thermal contact with said body and having a connectionwith said tube.

3. A cooling unit comprising a. body cast with evaporator it is inupright heat radiating fins at each side connected by spaced shelfforming plates, the edges of the plates being disposed at an angle tothe shelves, a header of independent construction, and a tube extendingthrough said fins along each side edge of each shelf forming plate andconnected to said header.

4. An evaporator comprising a cast metal body, means for securing aheader in good thermal relation longitudinally of said body, said castmetal body having outwardly and downwardly extending fins for effectingheat transfer, a tube connected to the header and extending horizontallythrough the cast metal body and providing a plurality of substantiallyparallel side portions, said body also having integral webs connectingsaid side portions to form shelves.

5. An evaporator comprising a cast metal body having side portionsformed of spaced upright fins for eifecting heat transfer and shelvesforming the only connection between said side portions and havingrefrigerant passages extending along the edge of each shelf.

6. An evaporator comprising a body formed of cast metal and including aseries of shelves, a series of fins located in edge to edge relation tosaid shelves and securing the shelves in spaced relation and providingair passages between the fins and shelves and a tube at the outer edgeof each shelf, said tubes being connected in series.

7. A device of the class described comprising groups 01 plates securedin edge to edge relation to provide an open-work construction, one groupforming shelves and another group forming heat absorbing fins, some ofthe plates of the group forming the shelves being provided with marginalrefrigerant channels.

8. A cooling unit comprising a body cast with upright heat radiatingfins at each side connected by spaced shelf forming plates, the edges ofthe plates and shelves being disposed at an angle of substantially 90, aheader of independent construction, and a tube extending through saidfins along each side edge of each shelf forming plate and connected tosaid header.

9. A cast metal cooling unit for a refrigerating system comprising aplurality of shelves disposed one above the other, upright spaced finsconnected to said shelves in edge to edge relation and providing anopen-work construction permitting substantially free circulation of airbetween said fins through said cooling unit and at the same timeexposing a relatively large heat transfer surface to circulating air.

10. A cooling unit for a refrigerating system comprising a plurality ofshelves disposed one above the other, upright spaced fins connected tosaid shelves in edge to edge relation and providing an open-workconstruction permitting substantially free circulation of air betweensaid fins through said cooling unit and at the same time exposing arelatively large heat transfer surface to circulating air, and channelsdisposed in substantially the plane of one or more of said shelves.

WILLIAM D. COLLINS.

one or more refrigerant

